RSS:

How your Facebook account can help you land a job [Infographic]

Earlier this year plenty of coverage was given to the new trend of employers asking job candidates for Facebook passwords as part of the interview process. Obviously, this raised questions about the legality of the request, rights of internet users, and job recruiting ethics.

While I am firmly against sharing social media usernames and passwords with anybody (including employers), I completely support granting hiring managers the same level of access to your accounts as your “ordinary” friends and followers – because if you have something to hide, you shouldn’t post it to your social media accounts, right? This access gives you the opportunity, among other things, to demonstrate to employers how you may be a good fit for their company, something that is often difficult to communicate in your resume.

Curating your social media profiles to be “employer friendly” isn’t just for people with “personal brands” or those looking for a job in the near future – it’s something that we all should be thinking about. But it’s more than just avoiding posting pictures of you partying or doing irresponsible things (Duff Man!). It’s more important to include, highlight, and promote all the good (personal and professional) things that you have to offer. Last year I wrote a post about keeping your social media profiles employer safe. It contains the basics of online reputation management, such as:

Never post anything that you would feel uncomfortable discussing in the lunchroom at work

Promote the good

Don’t brag about, or admit to, anything even close to a crime

Monitor your information

Remove postings by others that may get you in trouble

Etc.

The infographic below tells a story of recruiters using social media to find out good things about potential hires. They actually want to FIND and HIRE applicants, rather than disqualify them due to a questionable photo/comment. In 2012, companies are expected to use social media to recruit for 80% of their openings. This data contradicts the traditional narrative of “social media will get you fired” or “using facebook will make getting a job more difficult.”

3 Comments to “How your Facebook account can help you land a job [Infographic]”

Excellent advice, David. I tell my students if something you posted on Facebook would make anyone in your work environment uncomfortable if they saw it posted on the wall of your office, then don’t post it online! The Facebook lie is that we have privacy, and as you know, any privacy we think we have is truly virtual. The sooner we behave as if we have no privacy online, the better off we will be

Reblogged this on Talknowledgy and commented:
It’s Reblog Friday…David Hall had a great infographic up about how social media can help you get a job. Still, don’t give your potential future employer your Facebook password!
See you back here tomorrow for the podcast, or tune in Saturday at 5pm to 580 CFRA to hear this week’s show! -PG

Great blog post, David! As a young male in his early 20’s I constantly find myself deleting and untagging myself in photos and removing any vulgar/inappropriate content from my Facebook wall for this sole reason. I agree with the fact that employers shouldn’t be allowed to have access to have your Social Media passwords, but do welcome them in to view what my profile is all about.

Just followed the three Twitter accounts that the infographic suggest, here’s hoping something great comes out of it!